By Mallory Mattingly
Want to keep your kids entertained this summer without resorting to devices like iPads and smartphones? A backyard movie night is the perfect solution, and Movieguide® has a few tips to get you started.
Step One: Find the Perfect Spot
You will want to find an area in your backyard that has either a large flat surface, like a wall or fence, or a large grass area to set up a portable projection screen.
Step Two: Secure the Right Projector
While projectors can be expensive, they’re also an investment for your family. According to Tech Radar, one of the best projectors is the Epson Pro Cinema LS12000, which “can achieve high-def 4K projection at up to 130 inches, or nearly 11 feet.”
The best portable projector is the “Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen, which can hit a staggering 100 inches on a wall.”
While these are more on the expensive end, something like the NexiGo PJ40 (Gen 3) could be a more affordable option, though the quality might not be as good.
Step Three: Choose Your Screen
This can either be a blemish-free wall or a tensioned screen, a foldable screen or an inflatable screen. The best option for you depends on your own setup needs.
Step Four: Bring out a Portable Speaker
Related: David Benham, Trail Life USA Host Backyard Movie Night for 10,000 Families
You’ve got all the other needed equipment, but audio is a key part of your backyard set up. A portable Bluetooth speaker will likely be the best and most uncomplicated option.
Several budget-friendly portable speakers include the JBL Flip 7, the Sonos Roam 2, the Sonos Move 2 or the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4.
Step Five: Find the Right Film
Choosing a movie that your kids will love and that is appropriate for them is the most important part. Thankfully, Movieguide® has some suggestions.
INSIDE OUT 2 celebrates the biblical theme of joy. Movieguide®’s review reads:
INSIDE OUT 2 is a marvelous, family-friendly animated movie. The movie is delightful, funny, inventive, and heartwarming. It has many positive messages. For example, it promotes “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10c) and doing the right thing, controlling your emotions and not letting anxieties overcome your decision making. INSIDE OUT 2 also promotes kindness, friendship, repentance, and forgiveness. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children for scenes of peril and a large scary-looking but nonthreatening character. Unlike other recent animated movies, INSIDE OUT 2 doesn’t have any woke or politically correct content.
THE WILD ROBOT celebrates family and motherhood:
WILD ROBOT is a very special movie. It delightfully affirms motherly love. Also, Roz the robot clearly has Christological, allegorical elements. She teaches the animals to love one another and clearly dies and appears to clearly resurrect. That said, her major characteristic is learning to overcome her cold, pre-programmed nature to develop a loving heart. When the company tries to re-program her, the heart takes over, but that’s not the end of the story. There are many animated action violence situations in WILD ROBOT, including animals consuming one another to survive. However, none of these situations are cruel or violent in a scary, troubling way. So, MOVIEGUIDE® recommends WILD ROBOT for children aged six and up. Adults also will love this story, if they have a heart.
Other options include LUCA, IF and DESPICABLE ME 4. You can check out more of Movieguide®’s suggestions on our Top 10 Lists page.
Finding a fun way to occupy your kids this summer doesn’t have to be difficult. All you need is a projector, a wall or screen, a portable speaker and a movie. Family movie nights will never be the same.
Read Next: INSIDE OUT 2 Breaks Another Record
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
- Content: +4Share:
- Content: +1